1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus for handling vehicle wheels and more particularly to an apparatus for supporting vehicle wheels that have been temporarily removed from a vehicle disposed on a lift or hoist.
2. Description of the Related Art
Automotive maintenance and repair is often made more convenient by lifting the automobile on a hydraulic or electric lift or hoist, thereby providing easy access to the vehicle""s undercarriage. This access may be enhanced by temporarily removing the vehicle""s wheels. Also, some automotive maintenance (i.e., tire rotation or brake maintenance) requires removal of the wheels. However, the tire/wheel assemblies tend to be very heavy. A single tire/wheel assembly can weigh 40-45 pounds for a car, and 65-70 pounds for a truck.
When a wheel is temporarily removed from a vehicle elevated on a hoist, the individual removing that wheel must temporarily dispose of it in some way. Typically, the individual bends over and places the wheel on the floor. Later, the individual must similarly bend to lift the wheel off the floor for reinstallation on the vehicle. Individuals engaged in this type of repeated lifting procedure may sustain pain and/or injuries due to back strain, muscle strain and the like. To avoid possible injury, individuals removing such tires have sometimes been known to carry the tire out of the work area to a table or other surface on which the tire can be placed temporarily without requiring the individual to bend over. Such transportation of the tire away from the work area results in wasted time and effort. Also, carrying the heavy tire/wheel assembly speeds worker fatigue.
Various devices have been proposed to assist individuals in handling tire/wheel assemblies when mounting and removing them from vehicles disposed on hoists. These devices include various types of lifts, carts and dollies for lifting and handling the tires. Although they may help workers to remove and support tires from a vehicle elevated on a lift, these devices can cause problems of their own, such as cluttering up the work space and being quite expensive to purchase and maintain. Also, these lifts, carts and dollies may be complicated to use.
Accordingly, it is a principal object and advantage of the present invention to overcome some or all of these limitations and to provide an improved tire support apparatus that is inexpensive, is easily accessible within the work space, is small and will remain out of the way, and will not require workers to bend over to temporarily dispose of a vehicle tire.
In accordance with one embodiment, the present invention provides a tire support apparatus having a front plate mounted onto a vertical support of a vehicle hoist. A support bracket attached to the front plate holds a support arm. Once a vehicle has been elevated on the hoist, a worker removes a tire/wheel assembly, carries it to the tire support apparatus, and hangs the tire on the support arm. Thus, the worker does not have to bend over to temporarily dispose of the tire and the tire hangs out of the way until the worker is ready to reinstall it onto the vehicle. Since the tire support apparatus fits onto the vertical support of the hoist, it does not clutter up the garage work space. Also, the elegantly simple design of the apparatus allows for inexpensive manufacture and easy use.
In accordance with another embodiment, the present invention provides a tire support apparatus having a pair of mount plates pulled toward each other by fasteners operating between the plates. The pair of mount plates is used to secure the tire support apparatus to an automotive hoist. The plates are disposed on opposing surfaces of a hoist member and the bolts operating between the plates pull the plates towards each other to, in effect, squeeze the hoist member and secure the apparatus thereon. A pivot pin extends between the mount plates and a support arm is pivotable about the pivot pin and has a hanger extending therefrom. In a variation of this embodiment, the support arm is pivotable between open and closed positions. The closed position corresponds to a condition in which the support arm is pushed out of the way and the open position corresponds to the condition in which the support arm extends from the hoist and can receive a tire on its hanger. Optionally, a spring and ball detent mechanism is installed into the support arm and holes corresponding to the open and closed positions are drilled into the second mount plate. In this manner, the spring and ball detent mechanism releasably secures the support arm in the open and closed positions.
In accordance with another embodiment, the present invention provides a tire support apparatus with a hanger tool disposed on a mount body. The mount body is disposed on an automotive hoist so that the mount body is at about the same height as a tire of a vehicle elevated on the hoist. Thus, a worker removing the tire from the vehicle on the hoist can temporarily hang the tire on the hanger tool without bending significantly at the waist.
In accordance with another embodiment, the present invention provides a method for temporary disposal of an automotive tire/wheel assembly including the steps of elevating a vehicle on the hoist; removing a tire/wheel assembly from the vehicle; and placing the wheel on a support arm installed on the hoist.
In accordance with another embodiment, the present invention provides an automotive hoist having means for supporting a tire/wheel assembly and means for mounting the supporting means to the hoist.
For purposes of summarizing the invention and the advantages achieved over the prior art, certain objects and advantages of the invention have been described herein above. Of course, it is to be understood that not necessarily all such objects or advantages may be achieved in accordance with any particular embodiment of the invention. Thus, for example, those skilled in the art will recognize that the invention may be embodied or carried out in a manner that achieves or optimizes one advantage or group of advantages as taught herein without necessarily achieving other objects or advantages as may be taught or suggested herein.
All of these embodiments are intended to be within the scope of the invention herein disclosed. These and other embodiments of the present invention will become readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments having reference to the attached figures, the invention not being limited to any particular, preferred embodiment(s) disclosed.